Orderly Evacuation by Citizens Also Prevents Disaster
The reason for the low number of casualties during the fire at the BYC Building in Bundang, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do was attributed to the fire doors being closed, which effectively blocked smoke and toxic gases.
On the 3rd, Yonhap News reported photos released by the fire authorities after the initial investigation was completed. These photos showed that the interior walls of the building were not heavily blackened, indicating that a large amount of fire smoke had not entered. The interior of the 2nd floor, directly above the 1st floor where the fire started, as well as the corridor walls on the 3rd and 4th floors, showed almost no smoke stains, and the corridor walls on the 5th and 6th floors remained white. Toxic gases produced during a fire can cause loss of consciousness even with small inhalation, and if smoke spreads through passageways, it becomes difficult to see and evacuate.
The interior of the 2nd floor (left) and 5th floor (right) of the BYC building photographed after the initial visit. Gyeonggi Fire and Disaster Headquarters
Regarding this, a fire official stated, "It is presumed that the steel fire doors installed on each floor were closed. Considering the scale of this fire, if the fire doors had been open, a large amount of black smoke would have filled the interior, but that was not the case at all. Compared to the black smoke seen outside, very little smoke had entered the interior."
It was also reported that the quick and calm evacuation by citizens who recognized the fire played a significant role in reducing casualties. An assistant instructor at the swimming pool in the basement level 1 evacuated children to basement level 5 using the emergency stairs after hearing a swimming pool staff member shout "Fire!" A man in his 30s working in an office on the 6th floor alerted his colleagues as soon as the fire alarm sounded, and they all escaped to the rooftop via the emergency stairs. Fortunately, the emergency door on the rooftop was open, aiding the evacuation.
Some citizens on the ground floors followed the instructions of rescue workers who arrived immediately after the fire, waiting in an orderly manner until all smoke inside was cleared and safety was ensured. Although a high ladder truck was deployed outside the building, rescuing people one by one would have taken longer, so the rescue workers advised waiting, considering the building’s interior characteristics where smoke had not spread.
Additionally, the fire authorities focused on fire suppression and rescue by deploying 84 firefighting vehicles, including 19 rescue vehicles and 28 ambulances, and mobilizing about 260 personnel, which also contributed to preventing large-scale casualties. Seongnam City promptly provided 80 thermal blankets upon the fire authorities’ request to prevent hypothermia.
The fire occurred around 4:37 p.m. at the BYC Building near Yatap Station on the Bundang Line, a building with 5 basement levels and 8 above ground floors, and was fully extinguished by 6:01 p.m., about an hour later. The fire started in the kitchen of a restaurant on the 1st floor and quickly escalated into a large blaze with bright red flames. Thick black smoke surged fiercely up the exterior walls of the 8-story building as if engulfing it. Witnessing the fire, citizens covered their noses and mouths from the acrid smoke and tried to move away, anxiously wondering, "What about the people inside?" Although the fire occurred in a busy complex shopping building and a disaster was feared, fortunately, it was extinguished within an hour. About 130 people inhaled smoke, with 30 transported to hospitals. Most injuries were minor, and there were no deaths or serious injuries. Approximately 240 people were rescued, and about 70 evacuated on their own.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
